Commissioners debate 4H building rental fees, insurance and reservation procedures

Linn County commissioners spent an extended portion of their June 8 meeting reviewing a draft rental agreement for the county 4H building, debating fees, insurance requirements and who should manage reservations.

The draft sets baseline rental fees and a cleaning charge that several commissioners said left users and the county with little margin. Commissioners discussed raising a currently common nonprofit/resident daily fee from $75 to $150, and suggested commercial rates in the $300–$375 range. One commissioner proposed increasing the fee for 4‑H clubs and extension council use to $100 per event; others favored a higher figure.

Board members also considered practical and liability questions: whether the county’s existing insurance covers private events such as weddings or auctions, whether renters should be required to provide their own liability insurance and whether the extension office should handle reservations rather than central county staff. "If you guys are already insured for that, then it's fine," an attorney‑role staff member said when commissioners asked whether insurance language could be removed; staff agreed to confirm coverage and to draft concise insurance language or waivers as appropriate.

The draft will be revised to clarify that the agreement covers the courthouse 4H building only (not grounds); to direct payment deposits to the Linn County Treasurer; and to specify reservation, key pickup and deposit procedures. Commissioners asked staff to gather insurance details and deposit/checkout practices and to return the updated agreement for final approval at the next meeting.

No fee schedule was adopted on June 8; commissioners generally favored raising some rates and tightening liability language but deferred final approval pending the additional information.